The Magnetic Fields

Love at the Bottom of the Sea Domino ****

Their 10th record brings us back to their work of the 1990s: brilliant lyrics, melding of synthesised sounds and acoustic instruments – contrarian pop music. Every song is under three minutes long, and Stephin Merritt's droll baritone is a metronome for much of the record, moving slowly through such funny tales as Andrew in Drag("the only girl I ever loved") and the rueful All She Cares About Is Mariachi.The influences are dizzying, from Randy Newman to dance music; Horrible Party sounds like The Pogues underwater, and Infatuation (With Your Gyration) nods its head to Moroder-era Human League. When Shirley Simms and others take up vocal duties on songs such as the frothy I'd Go Anywhere With Hugh, you are reminded what a talented, idiosyncratic collective The Magnetic Fields are. houseof tomorrow.com

Download tracks: God Wants Us to Wait, I'd Go Anywhere With Hugh